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Naomi Osaka is amongst these talking out on-line amid rising concern for a fellow participant that has “gone lacking” after making a sexual assault allegation in opposition to a former prime authorities official in China.
The Japanese tennis star posted on social media below the hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai to hitch these elevating consciousness in regards to the 35-year-old Chinese language participant.
In a Twitter publish, Osaka, 24, wrote: “Unsure for those who’ve been following the information however I used to be lately knowledgeable of a fellow tennis participant that has gone lacking shortly after revealing that she has been sexually abused.
“Censorship isn’t okay at any value.”
“I am in shock of the present scenario and I am sending love and lightweight her manner,” she wrote, including that she hoped Peng and her household are “secure and okay”.
Osaka, a four-time grand slam champion, joined others within the business who’ve spoken out in assist of the Chinese language participant.
Novak Djokovic in addition to the organisers of the ladies’s and males’s skilled tennis excursions have been calling for a full investigation into the allegations made by the two-time Grand Slam doubles champion.
It comes after Peng wrote a prolonged social media publish earlier this month and claimed Zhang Gaoli, a former vice premier and member of the ruling Communist Social gathering’s omnipotent Politburo Standing Committee, had pressured her to have intercourse regardless of repeated refusals following a spherical of tennis three years in the past.
She mentioned Zhang’s spouse guarded the door through the incident.
Her publish additionally mentioned that they had intercourse as soon as seven years in the past and that she had emotions for him after that. Zhang Gaoli has not responded to her claims.
The publish was faraway from her verified account on Weibo, a number one Chinese language social media platform, and China’s fully state-controlled media has suppressed all reporting on the case.
Reviews of the allegations circulated abroad for greater than per week earlier than Girls’s Tennis Affiliation (WTA) chairman and chef govt Steve Simon issued an announcement saying: “Peng Shuai, and all girls, should be heard, not censored.
“Her accusation in regards to the conduct of a former Chinese language chief involving a sexual assault should be handled with the utmost seriousness.”
The boys’s tour adopted on Monday, with the Affiliation of Tennis Professionals (ATP) chairman Andrea Gaudenzi saying tennis authorities had been “deeply involved by the uncertainty surrounding the instant security and whereabouts of WTA participant Peng Shuai”.
“We’re inspired by the current assurances acquired by WTA that she is secure and accounted for and can proceed to watch the scenario intently,” Mr Gaudenzi mentioned. “Individually, we stand in full assist of WTA’s name for a full, honest and clear investigation into allegations of sexual assault in opposition to Peng Shuai.”
Peng received 23 tour-level doubles titles, together with at Wimbledon in 2013 and the French Open in 2014.
She was a singles semi-finalist on the US Open in 2014.
Her accusation was the primary in opposition to a distinguished authorities official because the #MeToo motion took maintain in China in 2018 earlier than being largely tamped down by authorities the identical 12 months.
When requested throughout a each day briefing earlier this week about Peng’s allegation, Chinese language Overseas Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian mentioned: “I’ve not heard of the matter, and it isn’t a diplomatic query.”
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